Why I Need To Take Care of The Strongest Joint In My Body
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Why I Need To Take Care Of My Strongest Joint In The Body!
The ankle & foot supports the weight of your whole body all day long! It is the strongest and one of the most important joints that needs our attention. Try to walk while tightening your ankle joint, with no movement in the ankles you will have a shuffling gait. Then after about 15 steps your knees, hips, and back will begin to start hurting.
This is why you see older people shuffle, they lose strength and mobility in their feet over time! Ankle stiffness causes a negative chain reaction up the legs and into the knees, hips, and spine causing muscle imbalances, poor posture, and chronic aches and pains. This can be prevented with the correct exercises and stretches
.**ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF STIFF/ WEAK ANKLES AND FEET IS POOR RUNNING/ WALKING HABITS!
A sedentary lifestyle is more dangerous to joints than any sport or activity. Another major cause is joint trauma that develops from running or walking heavily on hard surfaces. Not even the best shoes can protect against the repetitive shortening and contracting of the muscle- and not stretching.
A good start is dynamic range of motion to help prevent injury. Tension and tightness in the ankle and calf muscles then lead to tension in the quadriceps which then causes compression on the knee joints.
The CALF AS THE “ SECOND HEART”
This is because it plays a role within the circulatory system that is similar to the heart. The vein’s job is to carry the oxygen depleted blood back to the heart. Since now blood is flowing against gravity, sending it towards the heart will take more than a single pump from the heart. The body uses the calf muscle to pump blood from the legs to the heart.
If you don’t move for long periods of time, blood and toxins will collect in our lower legs and cause swelling. The longer you sit the more at risk for cardiovascular disease you are. It is crucial to keep the calf muscle flexible and mobile. Simple ankle pumps will help blood flow!